1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a cyclone type dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner that separates by centrifugal force contaminants from the air that is drawn into the vacuum cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a vacuum cleaner, such as an upright-type vacuum cleaner or the like, has a suction brush that is connected to the body of the vacuum cleaner and moves along on the cleaning surface. The body of the vacuum cleaner includes a dust collecting chamber, in which a dust filter is detachably mounted, and a motor driving chamber, in which a motor for generating the suction force is mounted. The suction force draws air and any dust or dirt on the cleaning surface into the cleaner body. The air is discharged from the cleaner after passing through the dust filter that is disposed in the dust collecting chamber of the cleaner body. The various contaminants in the air are filtered out by the dust filter, and the clean air is discharged to the environment.
The general vacuum cleaner described above, however, has a structure, in which contaminants are filtered and collected by an expendable dust filter. When the dust filter is clogged with contaminants, the filter has to be replaced, and a user must manually remove the used, dirty filter and insert a new one, which is both inconvenient and unhygienic.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems of the related art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cyclone type dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner that is capable of separating by centrifugal force and collecting dust or contaminants from the air that is drawn in by a suction brush of the vacuum cleaner.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is accomplished by a cyclone type dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner including a cyclone body having a cylindrical shape, open upper and lower ends and a contaminant outlet. Air and contaminants are drawn into the cyclone body through one open end of the cyclone body. The contaminants are separated from the air by centrifugal force and are discharged through the contaminant outlet, which is located proximate the other open end of the cyclone body. The apparatus further includes a contaminant receptacle for collecting the contaminants that have been discharged from the cyclone body. The contaminant receptacle has open upper and lower ends and surrounds the cyclone body. A base member is connected to and closes the lower end of the cyclone body and the contaminant receptacle, and a cover is removably connected to the upper end of the cyclone body and the contaminant receptacle. The cover includes an air inlet and an air outlet, both of which communicate with the cyclone body. The cover further includes a contaminant separating grill that has a plurality of fine holes. The grill extends downward from the air outlet and into the cyclone body. The apparatus further includes a partition that is disposed between the cyclone body and the contaminant receptacle for restricting the movement of the contaminants in the contaminant receptacle.